Built to Last

Nature is full of metaphors. If we look around, we can select pieces of nature that relate to our lives through symbolic expression. The seasons of the year represent the seasons of our lives: Spring/Birth, Summer/Young Adult, Autumn/Middle Age, and Winter/Old Age. Water is symbolic of potential and creation. The sun is symbolic of solar energy, the life force.

Even a tortoise can reveal secrets of nature for us to learn from. A tortoise is Built to Last! It has a hard shell that protects it from predators and external forces. Its home is where it makes it, which may change over time. The tortoise conserves its energy by traveling slowly and staying on course. It has a tender middle that nourishes its growth. The tortoise has engraved upon its shell, one of the geometric patterns of creation. A tortoise represents strength, endurance and longevity.

Although our lifespan does not normally range over 100 years, the quality of our life is in our hands. We have the power of strength to grow from within. We have the ability to endure many external forces, successfully. We can increase the length of our lifespan with some simple behavior changes. We can learn from the tortoise.

So, on that note, the quote of the day is:

“All that an individual can become is enclosed within the shell of possibility.” tc

Shadows and Light

Carl Jung, a German psychiatrist developed the “Shadow Theory.” The theory states that those things that we cannot deal with or do not recognize within ourselves are hidden in our subconsciousness. They take the form of our shadow.

We see our shadow in others but do not recognize it in ourselves. For example, I was in a classroom setting and the teacher read a series of 40 words to the class. We were instructed to write down the words that had an impact on us, either positive or negative. I wrote down a few words. When asked to reveal one, I selected wild and fat (lazy). These words hit a chord with me. Further explanation by the teacher helped me see that I was harboring a negative vibe against people who I perceived as lazy because I had been working very hard writing a book. I was in need of some ‘wild’ time; some fun because I had been working very hard without a break. My subconscious shadow of ‘laziness and wild’ disappeared when I recognized how I was feeling and how I was projecting those shadows onto others. Amazing.

We all do this in some format. It is not that we are bad or that the shadow is bad. The shadow is there to teach us where we need to learn and grow in our lives. It is important to know that simply by being aware and acknowledging the shadow, we bring it to Light and it begins to go away.

So, on that note, the quote of the day is:

“Purity contrasts sharply from evilness. However, neither one can be covered up or disguised.” tc